From Tragedy to Victory
by The Kinetic Violinist
Summary: After the Battle of Yavin, Leia finds solace with an unexpected person. Luke and Leia friendship.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. Not one bit.**

**A/N This oneshot is inspired by a prompt I found on the internet a while back. I wish I could credit someone with coming up with the general idea, but I have no idea were I got it. So all I can say is "Thank you stranger!" Thank you to all of you who are reading this as well, and, as always, leave your thoughts in a review!**

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Nobody notices me as I slip away from the party. With a glass of an unidentified type of alcohol in my hand, I walk unsteadily through the winding hallways of the base. But it isn't the barely touched drink, which I dump into the nearest trash receiver, that is making me nauseous.

I should be out there with the boys, celebrating. There is definitely reason to: my lucky escape from the Death Star, the relocation of the Death Star's plans, and, most importantly, the destruction of the battlestation itself.

Now that it is over, the horrors of the past week are catching up to me. If only the mission had went as Father planned. It was to be refreshingly simple. We had only to transport the newly acquired Death Star plans to the rebel base on Yavin. After our unexpected lurch out of hyperspace, I knew things could become complicated, but even I didn't foresee Vader. And Alderaan. I pause walking and stop to lean my head against the cool metal wall. Don't think about that right now_,_ I tell myself, and for the moment I force the grief out of my mind.

I reach the corridor of the temporary Med Center. My head gives an almighty throb from exhaustion as I sit down heavily in one of the waiting room chairs outside of the facility. The torture droid's drug after affects blur my vision for a moment before I manage to blink through it and notice something. The Med Center is dark.

As if answering my silent cry of frustration, echoing footsteps come into hearing range.

I recognize him as he rounds the corner. It is that kid- Luke, I recall- who rescued me and shot down the Death Star.

He enters the corridor, spots me, and jogs over. His facial expression mirrors the open, innocent look he gave me when we first met, except there's a deeper look in his eyes now that surely wasn't there before.

"I saw you leave and I thought you might need help. I mean, you didn't look well, and I didn't know if you knew that the Medics were relocated to the spare hangar… should I take you there?" he offers awkwardly.

For a moment I consider refusing his help, pride flaring up. But my head really, really hurts.

So I nod and stand.

Luke and I fall into step together. Unfortunately, I soon realize, the hanger is not exactly near by to the abandoned Med Center.

We walk in silence for a while until Luke casts a quick glance in my direction and asks, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, it's nothing sleep and pain meds won't fix." I try to answer in my most senatorial voice, but fail miserably.

"That's not what I meant."

I silently curse. He's more observant than I thought. I had hoped he didn't notice, and I prepare to brush him off, but he speaks again before I can think up a reply.

"I'm sorry about Alderaan. That's your homeworld, right?"

Giving up on my dignified voice, I just nod. "It feels like…" I search for the right words, but for once I can't think of the right thing to say.

"Like there will never be a place you can call home again," Luke finishes.

I look up at him sharply in surprise. So far, most of the condolences I've received have been well intended, but they had no feeling or understanding behind them. The sudden turn makes my head ache worse than ever, and my steps falter. Luke reaches out and steadies me.

"My Aunt and Uncle were killed on our farm by Stormtroopers. I don't want to go back there again. The memories hurt too much."

"Oh," I say, my continuing lack of eloquence starting to annoy me. "I'm sorry too. I just wish this mess was over with, and everyone could just forget it all and sort it out between each other. It's a childish thought, really. But I wish it was true"

Maybe I should let the medics check me for a concussion too. I don't usually go around telling near strangers my non-political opinions.

I see Luke nod.

"If only," he says with a sad smile.

We turn a corner and find ourselves at the entrance to the hanger. I pause to look at Luke before entering.

"Thank you, I enjoyed walking with you," I say, really meaning it. Something about Luke was calming.

He gives me one last small smile and starts to make his way back the way we came.

A medic walks up to me to ask what I need. While they are retrieving a headache reliever, a pilot who's getting a small cut bandaged notices me.

"Congratulations on the victory, Senator Organa!" he says to me.

Congratulations indeed, I think as I thank him. But it's no victory now. We can only hope that some day all these nightmares will become triumphs.


End file.
